Bruno Simon – 3D Portfolio

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Loading, Browser Support, and Performance

  • Experiences vary widely: some report flawless performance on Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Edge, Brave, and mobile browsers; others see black screens, crashes, or long freezes (up to ~30 seconds).
  • A number of people had to reload once or twice before it worked, especially on Firefox.
  • Performance ranges from very smooth on modest hardware to laggy/stuttery even on powerful devices; some mobile phones struggle despite high RAM.
  • WebGPU support is mentioned as inconsistent (e.g., behind flags on some platforms), though the site can still work where WebGPU is “officially” unsupported.

Concept and Gameplay

  • It’s a portfolio site presented as an isometric driving game: you control a small RC-like vehicle with WASD/arrow keys or touch, push objects, trigger easter eggs, and access portfolio content as in-world elements.
  • Users note details like destructible props, water behavior, a shrine/altar with a global counter, a racing mini-game with a boost key, an OnlyFans-style button, and a “hacker/debug” achievement that encourages source inspection.
  • Many praise the art direction, consistent style, music, and polish; some liken it to retro racing games (e.g., RC Pro-Am) or “cozy” mobile titles.

Portfolio vs Website UX

  • Strong criticism that it’s “terrible as a homepage”: slow first load, unclear controls without hunting for the menu, and cumbersome navigation for getting basic information.
  • Others argue it’s an excellent homepage specifically for someone selling Three.js/WebGL courses or web-based games: the unusual UX is exactly what makes it memorable and shareable.
  • Several commenters wanted 3D to enhance information architecture or navigation, not just wrap a CV in a mini-game.

Originality and Coolness Debate

  • Many call it amazing, whimsical, and one of the coolest 3D sites they’ve seen.
  • Skeptics say technically it doesn’t exceed long-standing three.js/Babylon/WebGL demos or indie games, and the “hands down coolest” framing is overstated.
  • Some share other notable 3D sites as comparisons and note that flashy 3D demos often bit-rot or vanish over time.

Nostalgia, Time, and the Web

  • Multiple comments reminisce about intricate Flash-era or cereal-box games and note that, as adults, their threshold for sinking hours into such experiences is higher.
  • There’s broader reflection on growing up, guilt about “unproductive” leisure, doomscrolling vs gaming, and raised expectations for novelty.
  • Several people express longing for a more experimental, playful web and say they “wish more of the web was like this.”

Tech Stack, Tools, and Learning

  • Commenters identify Three.js as the main rendering library, with Rapier likely used for physics.
  • The project is open-sourced under MIT and was devlogged over about a year; some recommend the associated Three.js course as well-structured and high quality.
  • A few discuss alternative frameworks (A-Frame, Lume) and the hope that tooling/WASM will eventually make such experiences easier for ordinary developers to build.